Early Greek Settlement on the Black Sea Coast

The city of Apollonia Pontica―located in present-day Sozopol on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast―was founded in the late 7th century by settlers from Miletos in Ionia. Throughout the Archaic period, the city maintained dense commercial exchanges with this region, importing tableware and transport amphorae in exchange of metals, likely sourced from the nearby Medni Rid deposits. Archaeological discoveries include traces of dwellings, as well as temples and altars from the late 6th and early 5th centuries BC, which formed part of the city’s religious center. These large-scale constructions and the city's involvement in long-distance trade highlight its wealth. Recent excavations on the offshore island of St. Kirik and underwater investigations in Sozopol’s harbor have provided further evidence of active overseas trade in the early years of the Greek settlement.

Exploring Ceramic Production and Oversea Trades

By combining archaeological methods with material science analyses, such as ceramic petrography and geochemistry, this project explores key research questions:

1. Which vessels were imported and from where?
2. Is there clear evidence of a strong connection with Miletos, traditionally considered the founder of Apollonia, or do relationships with other Ionian centers play a role?
3. What can be deduced about trade patterns and the transport of commodities based on the origins of the amphorae?
4. Was there local production of tableware modeled after Ionian designs, and if so, when did it begin?

The project will benefit from access to the extensive archaeometric reference collection at the ÖAI, which includes analytical data from ceramic raw materials and vessels from Asia Minor.

Unveiling Economic Networks

This project offers the unprecedented opportunity to illuminate the economy of the early Greek settlements long the Black Sea, a subject largely absent from written sources. At a more regional level, it could highlight how imports reached the Thracian interior via Apollonia and the Burgas Bay. On a larger Pontic scale, the findings will enable comparisons with the trade networks of other early colonies, such as Istros (in present-day Romania), Borysthenes, and Olbia (in Ukraine). Identifying Apollonia as an active commercial hub, engaged in both imports and exports, would contribute significantly to understanding the commercial networks that connected the Eastern Mediterranean and West Pontic regions during the Archaic Period.